GUELPH - Grey County can proudly say that two Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario Provincial Presidents call it home. Ellen Batchelor was named 62nd president of the Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario (JFAO) March 18 at the association's annual general meeting held in Stratford. Fellow Grey County resident Bruce Saunders was provincial president in 1976.
Batchelor, a member of the Rocklyn Junior Farmers for the past 10 years, has held many executive positions at the county level. First elected to the provincial board of directors in 1999, she has held the position of Executive Director of Communications for the past two years.
Joining Batchelor this year are Jennifer Mitchell (Past President), Lara Andrews (Director of Community and International Programs), Heidi Danen (Director of Membership), Joe Dickenson (Director of Fund Development), Brad Found (Director of Marketing), and Emily Phillips (Director of Finance).
Jennifer Mitchell is looking forward to her fourth and final year on the provincial executive. A member for 12 years in Wellington County, she has been active in both the Eramosa and Erin clubs. She works as a Data Editor for CanWest Dairy Herd Improvement and devotes as much of her time as possible to music, releasing her first CD, titled Country Memories, last year.
Heidi Danen has been a member of the Oxford County Junior Farmers for the past 13 years. She has held many positions at county level including a two-year term as provincial director sitting on the membership committee. She works as a Customer Service Representative for CanWest Dairy Herd Improvement and also with her family at Danensview Farms, outside Tavistock.
Joe Dickenson, a member of the Lambton County Junior Farmers since 1997, works with his parents on a dairy, beef, and cash crop operation. A 4-H leader in Lambton County for the past three years, he is also the county DHI representative. He was elected to a new position on the JFAO executive created this year and looks forward to strengthening the bonds with corporate sponsors and individual donors as director of fund development.
A member for seven-years, Lara Andrews has called both the Russell and Halton clubs home. She is currently finishing her honours degree in History at the University of Guelph leading to a career as an archival librarian. In 2001 she represented Ottawa-Carleton as Queen of the Furrow at the International Plowing Match in Navan. Outside of Junior Farmers she enjoys adventure travel with her husband, Kurtis.
Brad Found comes from a beef cow/calf feedlot operation and small swine finishing herd and sheep flock. He has been a member of the Durham East Junior Farmers for 10 years and sat on the provincial board of directors for the past five. Having graduated from Kemptville College in 2000 with a Diploma in Agriculture, he now helps manage the family farm with his parents.
An eight-year member of Middlesex Junior Farmers, Emily Phillips is entering her second term as Director of Finance. She grew up on a fruit and vegetable farm outside London and is completing her teaching degree at Brock University. She is involved in her local fair and enjoys playing squash and spending time with her friends.
JFAO is the only rural organization in Ontario run for and by youth. Anyone interested in becoming a member can contact the Provincial Office at 519-780-5326 or sign up online at www.jfao.on.ca.
From the Archives:
News, April 2005
